Non Mariners Race Bermuda

This event, held on the first Sunday in August every year, will probably qualify as one of the funniest and most hilarious events in Bermuda. You can call it anything but a race. But for decades the event is traditionally known as non mariners race. Many local families and even tourists participate in this event. They make their own innovative vessels from virtually anything they can think of. Don't be surprised to see even picnic tables on floats. One is not expected to use paddles, oars, engines or sails to powers these vessels.

So with such funny hand crafted vessels none of which are seaworthy, the goal is not to win, but to lose. Non Mariners race is held at the quiet and sheltered Mangrove Bay at Sandys Parish, and is organized by the Sandys Boat Club.

So what is the origin of such an event? The story says that decades back a few drunken buddies started a debate on whether a baby carriage like a perambulator can actually float on water and be used to sail. They did not stop at that and went a step forward to give a shape to their weird vision, that too within a week. They chose Hamilton Harbor and launched a baby buggy at the Albuoy's Point, and tried to sail it across. But the carriage sank.

Non Mariners Race Bermuda

Although their vision failed, but the non-mariners race was born in Bermuda. Next year it had drawn a lot of interest from the local families. They made strange looking vessels unworthy of sail but tried to sail them with incompetent crews on board. After all the goal was to try weird stuff with fun and frolics. They soon formed a 'Society' of the non mariners and the society quickly defined their motto: "The sea shall not have them. The sea does not want them." The non mariners society also called the race as "Non Race".

Non mariners race kept growing in popularity until they were finally booted out of the Hamilton Harbor. In one such occasion, an entry that created a vessel out of a bus on oil drums, sank on the cruise channel in Hamilton Harbor and that too only a few hours before a cruise ship was about to enter the channel.

Since then and for over two decades the event is now being held at the quieter Mangrove Bay. In recent years, tourists from US and Canada have also started participating in this.

The event starts with a parade by oddly dressed Bagpipe and drums band. And then all the strange looking vessels are launched one by one. Once there was a vessel crafted like a rocket with a person strapped on it. The vessels usually have slogans written on them referring to local political scams or incidents.

In one of the recent non mariners race, the float that came first had the picture of Bermuda Industrial union's leader on it, referred to the union's recent agitation against KFC's food outlet and carried the message "United we float, in pieces we sink".

Once the entrants push their vessels into the bay, their main job is to stay afloat for a while shouting at fellow entrants, enjoying life even with drinks. It's a light hearted family fun event and has been a local tradition running for decades.

However, there are rankings given out by a team of judges. And the ranking depends not on the quality or speed of the float, but on the overall humorous appeal it is being able to generate with its theme and makeup. The one which gets the first spot may be the first one to sink, it does not matter. And there are many non-sportsman methods that are put to use to get the first ranking, like offering chilled beer to the judges. You will also see kids jumping off the docks, many flotillas on the water to enjoy swimming and more. At the end of the day, you will find many people gathering at the Somerset Country Squire & Pub, having beer and other drinks to give a final finishing to the day's enjoyment.

There are no entry fees to participate. Donations are accepted that go to the local charities. The Non-Mariners Race is organized by Sandys Boat Club, although the event looks quite disorganized and chaotic, it is probably by design. It is held annually on the first Sunday of the month of August. The Cup Match holiday weekend comes to an end with this.

2017 Schedule

August 6, 2017

2016 Schedule

July 31, 2016, 10am to 6pm

2014 Non-Mariners Event Updates

Venue: Mangrove Bay, Sandys. Date: August 3, 2014. Like every year, there was a huge gathering. Most floats sunk within minutes. There was one which paid tribute to the newspaper Bermuda Sun which closed down in end-July this year, another one was themed on the Jet-Gate controversy because of which Premier Cannonier had to resign.

2013 Non Mariners Race Updates

The event was held on August 4, 2013 (on Sunday) at Mangrove Bay. The overall theme was political satire. The makeshift flotilla named "Cannonair" captained by Tony Ward won the first prize. The vessel which was assembled on the shore (as per the tradition of the event), was a model of an aircraft complete with wings and a propeller. In fact Premier Craig Cannonier made a guest appearance wearing a watermelon helmet and pretending to rotate the propeller. Judges were more interested in how well the vessels sank rather than how well they performed.